Lebanese Civil War

The Lebanese Civil Waar (1975-2005) was a lengthy and destructive civil war that occurred in Lebanon during the late 20th century. Caused by divisions between the Maronites and Muslims, the latter of which formed the Amal Movement and Jammoul to install a democracy in Lebanon, the civil war saw Syria and Israel compete for influence over the country. The pro-Israeli president Bachir Gemayel was assassinated before he could take office, and Syria engaged in a campaign of assassinations against anti-Syria politicians, overseeing the election of pro-Syrian presidents. Although the Taif Agreement in 1990 brought an end to the inter-factional fighting, war between the Hezbollah resistance movement and the Israel Defense Forces and their Christian South Lebanon Army allies continued in South Lebanon until Israel's withdrawal in 2000. In 2005, following the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, the people of Lebanon rose up against Syrian occupation in the Cedar Revolution, ending the civil war for good.

The Old Lebanon
Since independence in 1946, Lebanon was a divided country. It was divided down the middle between a Christian population that made up 45% of Lebanon's citizens and the upper class and the remaining 55%, which consisted of Muslims and Druze. In 1946, the National Pact divided Lebanese society, with government positions being delegated to specific religions; the President was supposed to be a Maronite Christian and the Prime Minister was to be a Sunni Muslim, with the Speaker of Parliament being a Shi'ite. Society was corrupt in Lebanon, with the rich getting richer and the poor (mostly Muslim) remaining poor. Matters were complicated when Lebanon was repeatedly defeated in failed wars against Israel as a part of the Arab League alliance, and Lebanon's Muslim population was united behind the Amal Movement and similar organizations during the 1970s. Kamal Jumblatt led the leftist opposition against the Maronite government, which sought to maintain the old Lebanon despite the changing times.

Palestinian takeover of South Lebanon
In 1970, following Black September in Jordan, the defeated Palestine Liberation Organization was forced to relocate from Jordan to Lebanon. West Beirut became the PLO's stronghold, and they set up bases at refugee camps such as Sabra and Chatila in Lebanon. From there, they carried out terrorist attacks against Israel during the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the Ma'alot massacre and Coastal Road massacre; the 1972 Munich Massacre was planned at a PLO meeting in the capital of Beirut. These horrible attacks led to Israel bombing the Palestinian camps in Lebanon, and the Lebanese government, like Jordan before them, sought to drive them out of their country. Yasser Arafat planted a seed for the PLO to flourish for coming years, with West Beirut becoming a major hub of Palestinian terrorists and guerrillas; South Lebanon was filled with PLO bases, including the old crusader fort of Beaufort, which now became an artillery base. The Palestinians were hated by the Maronite majority, as they were poor and were dangerous to Lebanon's security.